Reusable Period Pad For Teenage Girls, Designed By Teenage Girls

I am Celia Pool, co-founder of DAME. DAME is a startup on a mission to Make Periods Positive. We are trying to disrupt decades of stasis in the period care sector. We create innovative products which can eradicate millions of pieces of plastic ending up in landfill or the ocean, are accessible to everyone, and put an end to negative language and taboos.

We launched the world's first reusable tampon applicator in 2019, and in 2020 we launched our breakthrough reusable pad. We combined the cutting-edge of material science, human-centred design and brand marketing to make it easy and desirable for women to switch away from disposable products.

I take pride in building a company that's a force for good in the world. We are a certified B Corp, the first ever Carbon Neutral Plus company in the UK, and in 2019 we were voted the 7th best company to work for by Escape the City.

My next idea is to try and transform the period experience for teenage girls into one that is positive for them and the planet. I want to launch a reusable period pad for girls that can gain mainstream adoption. To do this I want to take a radical new approach, by properly co-creating the pad and brand with teenage girls, through a national competition and incubator programme. The plan is to then launch the pad nationwide, making use of DAME's relationships with retailers.

If we can achieve this, we can divert girls from a lifetime of plastic waste, help end taboos, shame and period poverty, whilst also developing the women innovators of the future.